


Puppy Love

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Asexual Jack Kline, Bisexual Dean Winchester, Canon Compliant, Fluffy, M/M, Pansexual Castiel, Season/Series 13, Season/Series 13 Spoilers, but super fluffy, gay Clark Barker, maybe some minor angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-20
Packaged: 2019-02-01 03:23:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12696270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Jack Kline and Clark Barker.  Innocent, gentle, slow.  They just want to help each other and make each other happy.





	1. Advanced Thanatology Companion

**Author's Note:**

> Pretty much I'm going to try to post a chapter after every new episode. This will be really light plot, and really just a lot of fluff of Jack and Clark between episodes. JACK IS A SMOL PURE BEAN! Really I don't see them going past kissing in this book. It's literally just a really cute, fluffy, budding relationship. Which is why I called it Puppy Love, because it's just this really almost childish, pure love.   
> Dean and Castiel will be mentioned. I do plan to bring the other mains into the story, but it is going to revolve around Jack and Clark.   
> I'm going to try to post every Saturday or Sunday after I watch the week's episode.

Clark was still confused about it all, still trying to process it all.  His mother had gone home for the night, after Clark’s insistence that she get sleep.  He had promised that he would rest, but instead he stayed awake, staring at the ceiling. 

 

His life was – well it had gotten bland.  Clark was in his first year of college, at a junior college near enough for him to still live at home.  He enjoyed himself, he really did.  But he was hanging out with the same people he’d known his whole life, who didn’t even know that he liked guys.  He was taking basic classes to hopefully work his way up to computer engineering. 

Every day was the same.  He went to school, work at god damn Pirate Pete’s, and went home to play video games or code website layouts for a little extra cash.  He was bored, and he was antsy.

 

And then Jack had shown up naked at Pirate Pete’s.  This kid who didn’t seem to know anything despite appearing to be close to Clark’s age.  This kid who made lights flicker and candy fall out of machines.  His mother had told him when he woke up, told him everything that happened. 

 

Yet Clark’s mind still spun.  Jack was some angelic off-spring, who was being hunted by other angels.  The two men who had come didn’t even really know Jack.  Clark couldn’t get his mind to stop thinking about Jack, Jack who didn’t know anything and was too quickly going to see the harsh reality of life.  His mother didn’t get why Clark had asked excessively about Jack.  Even Clark didn’t fully understand, but he reasoned that it was just because Jack was innocent.  He didn’t want that innocence, that hope in the world, to get ruined. 

 

* * *

 

 

Clark was fully healed in a week, and was soon allowed to go back home.  He was fidgety though, and after a while his mother stopped fusing over him to stay at home. 

 

Every day after work, Clark was on his computer searching.  Sam Winchester.  Dean Winchester.  Angels.  Nephilim.  Jack.  Jack Kline, that was what he had said.  Demons.  Real Angels.  Winchesters. 

 

Clark fell into a hole.  He told himself that he was just curious, but that wasn’t all of it.  He wanted to find Jack.  He wanted to make sure Jack was alright, that the Winchesters had really come to help him.   The Winchesters who were supposedly dead, years ago in an explosion in a police station. 

 

Clark couldn’t find anything about Jack Kline online, but what he did find was an underground book series.  He didn’t read the books, despite finding them easily online thanks to someone named BeckyWinchester.  What he did get from it, though, was the lore.  Angels, demons, hunters.  With each fact that he found, he grew more worried about Jack. 

 

It was two weeks after Clark had been released from the hospital.  For once he wasn’t researching the _Supernatural_ series.  Rather, he was sitting on the couch, playing a video game.  His mother had seemed content that he was falling back into his old pattern, and told him that she was going out for the day.  He knew that she was going to see her boyfriend for the day, and Clark didn’t say anything about it.  They both knew that he just stood for him, and they didn’t bring it up much. 

 

There was a soft pop, that Clark normally would have ignored if not for the shape of a figure standing behind him in the reflection of the TV.  Clark flailed, falling on the floor and turning to face the intruder. 

 

“Jack.”

 

Clark paused his game and moved, stopping just before Jack and rocking awkwardly.  What was he supposed to do?  After all, they had only met briefly, really.  Jack’s eyes flicked down to Clark’s stomach, as though he could sense the wound there that was healing into a nice scare. 

 

“What – where – how…” Clark didn’t even know where to start. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

They had ended up back in Clark’s room.  Jack was perched on the edge of Clark’s bed, looking at Clark’s posters.  Clark was sprawled on his stomach, staring up at Jack.  Jack had told him without reservations.  It hadn’t felt like someone revealing their secrets, but rather just someone talking with no secrets to be had.

 

Apparently the Winchesters had gone out, leaving Jack alone for the first time since they’d taken him back with them.   Apparently Jack had been wanting to visit for a while, and he had tried and failed to _teleport_ to Clark a few times that morning. 

 

Teleport!  He could teleport. Even though Clark had done research, it wasn’t the same as having living proof of it all in front of him.  It was insane.  But that wasn’t the priority.  No.  Jack had told Clark what had occurred, that he had gone back with the Winchesters and was still trying to learn to control his powers, but there was something being held back.

 

“What’s bothering you?” Clark asked. 

 

“I’m just – confused,” Jack said.  Clark sat up, and Jack continued.  “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.  My mother, she was good.  My father, my biological father, was not.  Sam thinks that I can be good, like my mother, but Dean expects me to be bad like my father.  He’s – it was bad at first with Dean, but he’s not as bad anymore.  But it – I’m not supposed to _be_.  No one knows what I mean, what I will turn out to be.   I don’t even know.  That – it scares me.”

 

The whole air of the room had shifted.  Clark sighed, running his hands through his hair.  “Jack, none of us know what we’re going to turn out to be.  That’s part of being human.  No one is purely good or bad.  You just, you’re supposed to try to be good.  Sometimes you mess up, but everyone does that.”

 

“But if I mess up, I could hurt people.”

 

“So could I,” Clark scoffed.  “I drive.  If I don’t pay attention, I could kill someone with my car.  It could be an accident, I could not mean it, but I could kill people.”

 

Jack still didn’t seem pleased with this answer.  Clark shook his head, trying to figure out what he could say.  He glanced toward his desk before jumping up and retrieving a book from it.  He tossed it over to Jack, who caught it without thinking. 

 

“It’s _Frankenstein_.  The whole point of the book is the question of what makes a monster a monster.  The monster isn’t who everyone expects, but no character is truly good.  It’s about their intent.  I think – it might help you.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Things lightened up after that.  Clark brought out the Switch he’d spent his first three paychecks on.  It didn’t take long for Jack to catch onto how to play, and soon they were neck and neck in Mario Kart.  Clark couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so comfortable with someone. 

 

Clark ordered pizza for dinner, which Jack devoured with as much awe as he had for the nougat.   Clark tried not to stare, but it was hard.  Jack was still in awe with everyone, learned with such enthusiasm.  Clark couldn’t think of anyone who was as excited to experience new things as Jack. 

 

The pizza was long gone and the video games shut off.  Jack and Clark had moved back down to the couch, and Clark was letting Jack ask him anything.  He knew that Jack still had so many questions about the world, and he didn’t know if the Winchesters really helped without judging Jack for not knowing. 

 

The door’s lock clicked open, and Clark saw Jack tense for a moment before relaxing again.  Clark’s mother walked in.  She did a double take before she realized who was sitting on the couch with her son.  Clark could see the rush of emotions that went through her, but one look from him kept her quiet. 

 

Clark invited Jack to stay the night, so he didn’t have to be alone in the “bunker”.  Clark could just tell that Jack was reluctant to go back.  So, Clark pulled out some old sweats and a t-shirt, and directed Jack to the shower. 

 

“I don’t like him,” was what Clark’s mother said. 

 

Clark tossed the pizza box in the trash.  “You blame a kid for me getting stabbed,” he said, his voice cold.  “He thinks he’s a monster, just because of who his father was.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

“My father wasn’t good either.”

 

Clark and Jack were back in Clark’s room.  Jack was flipping through a stack of comics he had found, and Clark was finishing up a website he had been paid to edit.  Clark’s words got Jack to look up from the comics, and Clark felt his breath catch a little when Jack’s warm brown eyes locked with his. 

 

Clark stood and moved over to the bed, sitting next to Jack.  “My father was an alcoholic.  He drank his feelings away, and it was alright until he started getting aggressive.  He didn’t ever talk about what was bugging him, and eventually his anger turned physical.  I don’t like my mom’s boyfriend, but he doesn’t hurt her.  I – I was, and still am, scared of becoming like him.  I swore that I wouldn’t bury my emotions, so I didn’t become like him.”

 

Jack watched Clark carefully.  “I don’t understand.  Why are you telling me this?”

 

Clark sighed. “My father was a monster to many people, and there are some who think I might turn out like him.  If they hear about me and my friends drinking or smoking, they whisper that I’ll turn into him.  But I know that I won’t, because I’m too scared about becoming him to ever become him.”

 

“You’re fear to become like him forces you to become better than him?”

 

Clark nodded.  Jack seemed to let this sink in.  He nodded as well and turned back to the comics. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

Clark pulled out spare pillows and blankets and a sleeping bag, laying them out on the floor.  He took the floor, letting Jack take the bed.  Jack didn’t know the social standard to argue about who got the bed, and Clark was glad for that.  It made everything easier. 

 

Clark couldn’t sleep though.  His mind was reeling, and he was scared of where it might end up if he closed his eyes.  Apparently Jack couldn’t sleep either, because he started asking questions again.

 

“What’s a ‘boyfriend?’  You said that your mom had a boyfriend.  What is that?”

 

Clark bit back a groan.  It was a normal question, but he didn’t know if he wanted to be the person to give Jack the dating talk.  He sat up, leaning against the wall.  Jack rolled onto his side, looking down on him.

 

“It’s – complicated to explain.  Do you – you know what love is?” Clark asked.

 

“It’s when you – you – care about someone?”

 

“Yeah, kinda.  There’s different ways you can love.  Like I love my mom, in a familial way.  I love my friends, but in a platonic way.  My mom loves her boyfriend in a romantic way. 

“As for ‘boyfriend’ – it’s a term.  It refers to – if two people like each other a lot, and see the potential for loving each other in a romantic way they ask each other out.  They start dating each other, and they become significant others, whether that’s boyfriend and girlfriend or boyfriend and boyfriend or girlfriend and girlfriend or whatever.”

 

Jack seemed pleased with this answer.  Clark could see the pieces falling into place, see Jack trying to make sense of it.

 

“My mother – she loved me in the familial way,” Jack said.  “It’s – it’s kind of like how I like Sam.  I don’t think I love him, but I like him like he’s family.  My father loved Dean like – in the romantic way.”

 

Clark snorted, his eyes going wide.  “Wait wait – _Lucifer_ loved Dean?”

 

“No, no.  Sorry.  My – my chosen father I guess.  Castiel, who died.  But I’m pretty sure he loved Dean too.  Maybe that’s why Dean is so upset.”

 

Clark sighed.  He couldn’t believe he was having this conversation with the guy who had turned up at Pirate Pete’s stark naked. 


	2. Tombstone Companion

It wasn’t long after Jack left that Clark got a message from him.  While he had been over, Clark had helped Jack set up an email and showed him how to use it, so they could keep in touch.  Unsure of how frequently he’d have a phone rather than use Sam or Dean’s, they felt it was a better way to communicate.

 

All the message entailed was “what is a zombie?”

 

Clark didn’t know what the context was for the question, but he replied quickly with what fiction declared a zombie as, as well as a few books, shows, and movies with zombies.  He also emphasized that he didn’t know if zombies were real – given that he didn’t know what was real and what was fiction anymore.  Hell, apparently angels, demons, and vampires were all real.

 

* * *

 

 

Clark told himself not to worry when he didn’t hear back after the zombie question, but he did.  After all, what if there were zombies?  Jack could handle himself, especially if he was with Sam and Dean, but Clark still worried. 

 

He couldn’t focus on his games, on his programming, on anything.  He knew his mom was giving him weird looks as he pushed around the food on his plate, but he couldn’t help it.  He couldn’t muster up an appetite when he was worried about what was going to happen to Jack.

 

* * *

 

 

It was two days after the question had been emailed when Clark heard from Jack again.   Clark had just gotten home from working a shift at Pirate Pete’s, his mom towing just behind him.  They stepped into the house and Clark dropped his keys when he saw Jack sitting on the couch.

 

Jack looked like a mess.  His eyes were red, his cheeks stained with tears.  He looked up at them, and looked like he was ready to bolt.  He stood up and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, he pulled Jack into a tight hug.  Jack was tight, still giving all the signs that he was ready to run, but he slowly relaxed and wrapped his arms back around Clark.

 

Clark was the one to step back, his hands still on Jack’s shoulders. 

 

“Jack – what’s wrong?  What happened?”

 

“I have to go.  I just wanted to let you know,” Jack said.  “I can’t, I can’t visit anymore.  I have to go, for now.”

 

Clark’s eyes went wide.  He gently pushed Jack back toward the couch, encouraging him to sit.  Jack resisted at first, but didn’t lash out against Clark.  Eventually, he did sit, and Clark sat beside him.

 

“Jack, what’s going on?”

 

Jack looked forward, looked anywhere but Clark.  Clark sighed, running his hands through his hair.  He shifted, trying to catch Jack’s eye.  “Please tell me, Jack.  I’m – I don’t care what happened.  I just want to know.”

 

“I – I keep hurting people, people who don’t deserve it.  I can’t hurt you.  You and the Winchesters, you’re all I have.  So, I’m going to go away until – I don’t know. Until I figure everything out?”

 

Clark looked at Jack wide eyed.  Jack looked like he was getting ready to bolt, so Clark moved quickly.  He knelt in front of Jack, pressing his hands to Jack’s knees.    


“We all hurt people, Jack.  It happens.  What matters is whether you meant to, and whether you feel bad about it in the end,” Clark said.  “You obviously don’t want to hurt people.  So you’re not going to hurt me.”

 

“I killed someone, Clark,” Jack said, closing off slowly.  “I killed an innocent person.”

 

Clark didn’t wait a beat, didn’t look at Jack weird.  “So has my mom.  When – when you fight bad guys, sometimes innocents get caught in the crossfire.  And it hurts like hell, and you can’t make up for it, but –.”

 

“No.  Stop that.  Everyone just tries to keep telling me that it happens, that it’s fine!  I hurt someone – I killed someone, because I didn’t know what I was doing.  I can’t hurt anyone else.  I just can’t.”

 

Jack stood up, pushing Clark to the side.  Clark stumbled to his feet and grabbed a hold of Jack’s hand.

 

“Fine, go, but please.  Don’t stop emailing me, don’t stop reaching out to me.  If you think you need to leave to figure out your powers or whatever, fine, but don’t just disappear off the face of the planet.  I – I wouldn’t stop worrying about where you are or if you’re okay.”

 

“I have to go Clark,” Jack said, not looking at Clark.  “Please just stop. I have to go, even if I don’t want to.”

 

Clark moved in front of Jack again, cupping his chin in his hands.  “Okay, go figure yourself out.  But don’t leave everyone who cares about you out of the loop.  If you do, you won’t be able to…”

 

Jack was gone in a pop, leaving Clark empty and worried.  He stumbled back a little, and stood in shock.  Then he moved, stumbling toward his mom’s office. 

 

“We need to find the Winchesters,” he said.

 

“Clark, last time they were here you nearly died.  They’re surrounded by bad luck.”

 

“And Jack is gone with no one to help him.  He’s got no one and he doesn’t understand the world still.  He’s going to get himself killed!  I’m going to find the Winchesters, one way or another, but I want your help.  I don’t want to go behind your back.”

 

His mom sighed, rubbing her hands over her face.  “Fine, fine.  Grab your laptop.   We’ll try to find them.”   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a little late. My goal is to have new chapters up every Sunday, since I watch the episodes on Saturday and want time to process what I watched.   
> Also sorry for the angst. It's really the only way I could see this going.


End file.
